Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Droid Customization: Should the 20 Charges System go?
No, the customization kits can only be used by DE's. And I say, if we gotta have them, then lets keep this feature...imagine, people actually seeking out a DE for something...lol
The biggest thing that bothers me about the 20 call lifespan is MY OWN DROIDS! Granted I don't have to charge myself for a new paint-job, but I DO have to use my tool charges just the same. I think the lifespan of a paint-job should last a bit longer, and that somehow, DE's personal droids can keep their colors permanently... until re-painted on purpose.
And I always color a customers droid for free the FIRST time (I try really hard to make them pick their colors BEFORE I waste a charge on it), after that I have had no problems, or complaints, about charging a minimal fee for "touch-up" colors later on. In fact, it hasbecome a good excuse for several customers to visit me regularly, so we can catch up andenjoy each others company.
Yod Amac ----- Syn City (Metropolis!), Naboo, Radiant Galaxy
Yod Droidworx - Get a Droid that Works for You! www.Droidworx.homestead.com
Just a side note - do factory runs on the customization kits, and use really good materials.
I get nine charges per tool... it saves a lot of money 
1) NO ONE likes the 20 call limit, if you can find any droid which actually reports that they have a 20 call limit. The customers don't like it. The DE don't like it. Some one once asked if the devs hairstyle would fade after they pulled their heads out after 20 times.
2) No one I know makes much of anything off customization. Most/Many DE do it for free. And many people expect you to do it for free. I had one guy just walk up to me the other day and ask "Want to color my DZ70 droid for free?" He then proceeded to pull out three different DZ70 droids and as asked me to change the color on each of them at least 3 or 4 times. All this andthey probably all faded the very next day. Customization is a service, and most service income is not significant in the game. Product income seems to be the only things that works well.
3) They're a pain to make, a pain to use, and don't deliver much for all that work.
For something so simple, they are very complex to make with several (?) Artisan parts required.
For something so simple they are expensive to make and use.
They only provide one use instead of 5, or 10, or unlimited usage like most tools.
Unless the devs expected DE to charge 1K or some absurd price which customers would not pay, there was never really any good way to make income off customization.
They may have tried to 'encourage' a certain price for this service by purposely making the kits complex and expensive to produce, but I guess they didn't learn their lesson with the Personal Harvester redeed costs.
Yes, I realize this makes personal harvesters disposable, and provides steady income for Novice Artisans. But I really don't think that was their original intent. That's just the way things turned out.
I really like a lot of ideas in this thread.
Of course the one that I like the best is the permanent color solution. After all, as stated, clothes don't default color... why should the droids? I feel that the color should remain permanent until the person wants to change colors.
But if there has to be a limit to it, I kinda like the incap charges... which of course the incaps and the charges by incaps would show the wear and tear that the droid has taken.
That's really dumb. I had no idea that you could only whip out your custom colored droid 20 times before the paint "wears off". Am I interperating that correctly?
Wy would they setup a system where the paint wears off a droid? I want a blue droid, make it blue. End of story. What's so tough about that? I can get green armor and it doesn't wear off (although they do bug the palate sometimes...)
Chris
paint jobs should last forever, 20 charges blows.
that's my 2 cents.
i have never charged and never will charge to change someones droid colors
yes it should be permanent and yes i would like to set the color when crafting them.
i would also like to see the colored droid or at least a picture of the droid instead of those stupid flat deed things
1) Absolutey hate it (Especially when it comes out bird crap green).
2) I never ask for anything for the customization, and do it free, however I often do recieve tips. I try to offer the money back, but most insist on keeping it.
3) I agree it with most of the guys above saying perma-color it. The kits would be put to much better use if it was more of an image design form for droids. Let the customer see what we are doing to the droid before running through 5 charges just to get the color right. I don't say 100% permanent because maybe some dancer/tailor wants her droid to match her dancing clothes of the week as she crafts for her customers (Yes I have seen this ) . I think we should be able to paint em as often as needed, but there should be no fade. If there must be a fade, let it be something that is damage related to combat so that it is much less frequent for the majority.
I don't charge for customization, because customization was put in as a way for DE's to make a few credits instead of FIXING THE DANGED PROFESSION! It's my act of rebellion against the man for keeping me down....
It needs to go. If it were permanent, then I would charge for it. My armor doesn't fade after 20 times I put it on, my clothes don't turn gray, why in the hell is my droid?
It was a kick in the teeth, notan improvement, and needs to go.
Paint jobs should stick permanently, or until a Droid Engineer repaints the droid using a customization kit. I do like the ability to customize, I just think that this color decay is really lame and needs removed...